The Last Election
When I was running for President, my team would often say to me “Bio” before I spoke at a rally or did a press appearance. What they were saying to me was “Use your biography” because people didn’t know who I was and your trust and interest goes up if you feel like you can relate to someone.
Human beings tend to operate in stories: stories that political figures tell about themselves or stories that include us. Narratives are very powerful, more naturally powerful with most audiences than, for example, facts or statistics. It’s a lesson that I need to constantly relearn.
A while ago I interviewed Stephen Marche, the author of “The Next Civil War,” and we connected on our shared concerns for the future of American politics. How could we get people to see, and perhaps do something about, the dangers that lie ahead?
We needed a story.
We decided to write a novel about the next election, or the last election, which could be the same thing. And we wanted it to be entertainment, to engross people who aren’t likely to care about the latest Op-Ed. In many ways, the book is meant to answer the question, “What happens if a major independent presidential candidate decides to run?”
The writing process was a lot of fun. Stephen would interview me, my campaign manager Zach Graumann and others for hours on end. He would draft pages based on interviews that delved into painstaking detail. I would read what he produced, edit, respond and suggest changes or additions. We would repeat this process until the pages felt like a version of the future I recognized.
“I’d say this book is the most accurate depiction possible of the inside of a campaign during the last election, where American democracy actually collapses under the weight of distrust and the weight of a collapsing electoral system. It’s a paranoid political thriller that’s accurate,” says Stephen. “It’s a very unusual book. I don’t think there’s another book like this one. It’s a straight thriller that also contains intimate information about political life, and that’s a fun read.”
I’ve run for President, written three non-fiction books, put out countless social media posts, interviewed dozens of thinkers and write a weekly newsletter that you’re reading right now. Will a novel – a story - get a message out to people who wouldn’t understand it any other way?
“The Last Election” is my attempt to find out.
To buy the Last Election from the publisher click here – the code LASTELECTION will get you 30% off. For my interview of Stephen Marche click here.
Never forget.
